The Difference Between Eye Cream & Facial Moisturizers

We spoke to skin care expert Sonya Dakar about the difference between eye cream and facial moisturizers.
As Seen In Hello Giggles.

If eye care is missing from your beauty routine, it’s time to stock up! Experts say that you should start using eye cream in your 20s. The creams that go on our faces could fill a warehouse. So why do we need to use so many? While skin is the largest organ on the human body, not all skin is created equal. Skin varies in elasticity, thickness, and natural oils. While people contain around 60 percent of water by the time they reach adulthood, it seems like everything is all about hydration, especially for our faces! So many factors actually dry us out. From weather and sunlight to age and genetics, our faces can feel as dry as the desert.

We spoke to Sonya Dakar, skin care specialist and founder of Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic about the difference between facial moisturizer and eye cream. First off, she explains that there really is a big difference between eye cream and facial moisturizers because the skin around our eyes is very different from the rest of our face. Meaning, it requires different needs than other areas of our face.

She said:“The eye area and the lips are the only two areas that do not have oils glands. This is really important to know because we must treat these areas differently. When there are no oil glands, the skin tends to be more dry and shows the signs of aging much faster than the rest of the face. The skin around the eye area is indeed thinner, and this thinness makes it more delicate and vulnerable.”

She also added that our eye area gets a “much greater workout” than the rest of our face.

She explains:“Every time you move your eyes, whether you squint, smile, or widen them in surprise, you’re working out the tiny muscles around your eyes. Over time, this skin dries out and forms wrinkles, fine lines, and crows feet.”

It’s important to take extra care of our eyes with creams because heredity, lack of sleep, too much sun exposure, and aging can also cause dark circles, as Dakar points out. The most helpful tip Dakar recommends is using both face and eye cream because they are equally important for any skin care routine.

She adds:“Do not wait until you are in your 30s or till you see your first wrinkle. Preventative measures are the best way to ward off aging.”